Ministry of Defence

National Flagship: Procurement

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the proposed Royal Yacht will be classified as a warship and its construction restricted to UK shipyards.

Mr Ben Wallace: The procurement of the Flagship will be compliant with the UK’s obligations, under the WTO Government Procurement Agreement. Construction of the National Flagship will be limited to the UK in order to protect the essential interests of national security.

Department of Health and Social Care

Care Homes and Hospices: Coronavirus

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the guidance for visiting patients in (a) care homes and (b) hospices in respect of the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: We regularly review and assess COVID-19 visiting guidance for inpatient settings (including hospices) and residential care home settings to ensure access to visitors, whilst balancing the risks and safety of patients and residents. Guidance has been informed by clinical advice throughout the pandemic in order to ensure it is up to date and effective in keeping outbreaks to a minimum whilst allowing residents and patients to have meaningful visits.Guidance on visiting in care homes is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes.The Department engages with partners, including Public Health England, representative organisations and care providers, to understand the impact and effectiveness of care home visiting guidance in terms of allowing some visiting whilst preventing incursion of infection in care homes wherever possible, and inform any updates required. The Care Quality Commission has reported limited instances of providers not being able to follow visiting guidance. There has been little evidence of increased outbreaks in care homes as a result of more visits.Most hospices are independent, charitable organisations, with visiting policies at the discretion of the hospice manager. We produce guidance on testing in hospices, including for visiting, which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-hospices.The Department, NHS England and NHS Improvement recognise the challenge hospices face in allowing families to spend as much time as possible with their loved one in the last few weeks of life while minimising the risks of COVID-19 transmission for other patients, visitors and staff. NHS England and NHS Improvement have published guidance on end of life care, including how COVID-19 may affect visitation, which is available at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/

Abortion: Coronavirus

Gareth Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has (a) commissioned or (b) plans to commission research on the health and welfare of women who have used home-administered early medical abortion during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: The Department has no plans to commission research on this specific issue.The Government’s public consultation on whether to make permanent the temporary measure allowing for home use of both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation for all eligible women asked questions about the impact on the provision of services for women and girls with particular regard to safety. The consultation has now closed and we are considering all evidence submitted and plan to publish our response later this year.

Abortion: Coronavirus

Gareth Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the Government decided to include home-administered early medical abortions in the Coronavirus Act 2020; what the evidential basis was for that decision; and if he will make a statement.

Helen Whately: In March 2020, the Government put in place a temporary approval to enable eligible women and girls to be able to take both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation in their own homes. This approval was put in place on a temporary basis using powers in the Abortion Act 1967 following engagement with key stakeholders, including the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.Factors taken into consideration when making this decision included the impact of staff isolation on the provision of abortion services, the need to limit travel and the transmission of COVID-19 during the pandemic, and maintaining access to safe abortion services for women including those who were shielding. Safe and continued access to urgent healthcare has been and remains our priority.

Abortion

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the procedure is for updating abortion notification HSA4 forms in the event of additional complications occurring either after the initial submission of the form or after the 14-day timeframe for returning them.

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his Department's consultation entitled Home use of both pills for early medical abortion up to 10 weeks gestation and the statement in that consultation that for terminations in 2019 where the second early medical abortion pill was administered at home, complications may be less likely to be recorded on the abortion notification form, whether (a) those complications are reported by other means and (b) his Department has plans to review the process for reporting abortion complications to ensure that data is collected for complications not reported on the abortion notification form.

Helen Whately: There is currently no process in place for additional complications to be recorded on HSA4 forms after submission of the form. The Department is undertaking a project to review the system of recording abortion complications data and we anticipate this work will be completed later this year. The review will cover all data on complications arising from abortion including timing of reporting.

Palliative Care

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that those suffering with terminal medical conditions have dignity at the end of their lives.

Helen Whately: The NHS Long Term Plan sets out how the provision of healthcare is being updated to give people more control over their own health and more personalised care, including at end of life. The establishment of the Personalised Care Institute has made training available to help staff identify and support patients and to introduce proactive and personalised care planning for everyone identified as being in their last year of life. This enables meaningful conversations to take place and allows staff to help patients and families, address their concerns and to explain the breadth of services available in the local area. Clinicians should continue to utilise existing guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence which includes specific reference to maintaining comfort and dignity in the last days of life. ‘Care of dying adults in the last days of life’ is available at the following link:https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng31/resources/care-of-dying-adults-in-the-last-days-of-life-pdf-1837387324357

Travel: Coronavirus

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of PCR tests of arrivals from amber list countries have been sequenced for new variants in each month of 2021 to date.

Jo Churchill: This information is not available in the format requested. NHS Test and Trace publish this data on three weekly cycles aligned with risk assessments and decisions within the international travel traffic light system.

Social Services: Migrant Workers

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on reviewing the effect of EU withdrawal and the end of free movement on social care staffing levels.

Helen Whately: While 7% of the existing workforce identify as European Union citizens, they have been able to apply to remain in the UK under the EU settlement scheme and so we do not expect a sudden loss of this workforce. The flow of EU workers into the sector annually is small comparable to the size of the workforce; fewer than 5% of all workers joining the sector in a direct care role in 2019/20 had arrived from the EU in the previous 12 months. Therefore, we do not anticipate that the end of transition will have an immediate impact on workforce supply. We are confident that employers will be able to recruit domestically to outnumber any decreased flow of workers from the EU and we are working closely with counterparts across Government to encourage people with the right skills and values to work in the sector.

Travel: Quarantine

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 29 April 2021 to Question 180586 on Travel: Quarantine, what estimate he has made of the number of people arriving in the UK who have entered covid-19 hotel quarantine as a proportion of total arrivals from red list countries since that quarantine measure was introduced.

Jo Churchill: The information is not held in the format requested.

Nurses: Training

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government has plans to pay student nurses for the hours they have worked through their student placements during the covid-19 outbreak.

Helen Whately: The Government worked with the National Health Service to ensure that all nursing students who opted in to paid placements during the COVID-19 pandemic were paid a salary and received automatic NHS pension entitlement at the appropriate band. Nursing students not on paid placements continued with their academic learning and clinical placements wherever possible. Health Education England worked with health and education providers to minimise disruption to education. Clinical placements allow students to acquire the necessary skills and experience under supervision, to meet education outcomes. Students are not usually paid for their clinical placements. Paid placements were introduced temporarily as part of the Government’s emergency response to the pandemic.

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021

Mark Jenkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the impact assessment for the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 as it stood at 19:19 on 13 July 2021.

Helen Whately: The Government has set out analysis of the number of current staff who we estimate may not be vaccinated or exempt by the end of the 16-week grace period in an impact statement. This figure provides an indication of the numbers that may need to be recruited by the sector to replace workers who may choose to leave the workforce rather than be vaccinated. The full impact assessment will be published as soon as possible.

Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Care on 13 July 2021, Official Report, column 270,  on what date work on the impact assessment for the draft Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021  (a) began and (b) is due to be completed.

Helen Whately: We began analysis on the impact of the proposal in May with the proposal subject to the final consultation analysis. The assumptions were adjusted to account for the extension of the proposal to cover all Care Quality Commission-registered care homes and all persons who enter a care home. Following the consultation we are continuing to conduct analysis on the likely impact on the behaviour of care home staff in response to the regulations.The Government will be setting out analysis of the number of current staff who we estimate may not be vaccinated or exempt by the end of the 16-week grace period in an impact assessment to be published shortly.

Plastics: Medical Equipment

Mr Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the volume of single-use plastics consumed through (a) PCR and (b) lateral flow covid-19 tests; and if he will make a statement.

Jo Churchill: We have not made a formal assessment. However, NHS Test and Trace continues to work on exploring alternatives to current lateral flow devices which are as safe and effective but are made of predominantly recyclable or biodegradable materials.

Home Care Services: Local Government

Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of a market failure in the domiciliary care sector on local authorities.

Helen Whately: Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to shape their local markets according to local needs, which includes securing the right balance of domiciliary, residential and other provision. Throughout the pandemic, we have made available over £2 billion in specific funding for adult social care, in addition to over £6 billion for local authorities to address pressures on their services. In partnership with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Local Government Association, we carried out a service continuity and care market review to understand the robustness of local authorities’ plans and the level of support needed to maintain continuity of provision through winter 2020-21.

Health Services and Social Services: Quarantine

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to support health and social care staff who have been asked to isolate and do not wish to participate in Test and release programmes.

Jo Churchill: Fully vaccinated health and social care staff who have to self-isolate, may be able to leave self-isolation to attend work in exceptional circumstances where, in the judgement of a nominated health professional, there would otherwise be a significant risk to the health or safety of patients or service users. In these exceptional circumstances, they should only attend work after having a negative polymerase chain reaction test and daily lateral flow antigen tests. Where staff choose to self-isolate rather than take part in these arrangements, they will still be able to access financial support, if they are eligible and relevant practical support.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) NHS Test and Trace and (b) local public health teams have the (i) capacity and (b) resources to manage effectively an increase in cases of covid-19.

Jo Churchill: NHS Test and Trace has built in flexibility within its contracts to adjust capacity which includes surge testing through mobile testing units; door-to-door testing, increasing supplies of test kits; increased laboratory processing capacity; enhanced contact tracing; walk in vaccine clinics; and increased communications to drive vaccine uptake. We have provided local authority public health teams with additional funding through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund to support their local efforts in managing COVID-19 transmission and outbreaks to deliver interventions such as targeted testing for hard-to-reach groups; additional contact tracing; enhanced communication and marketing; and additional support for compliance and enforcement. We expect local authority Chief Executives to work in coordination with the Director of Public Health to determine the necessary activities.

Coronavirus: Screening

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the maximum daily covid-19 PCR testing capacity was at each regional testing centre in England for each month from January 2021 to the latest date for which data is available.

Jo Churchill: We are unable to provide the information requested as it is commercially sensitive. We are currently running a procurement exercise for assisted testing services at regional test sites in England. Information related to specific testing capacity at each of these sites forms part of the competitive tendering process. Publication of this information could weaken the Department’s position in commissioning and achieving value for money in the procurement of future services.

Coronavirus: Screening

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the proportion of people who test positive for covid-19 on 19 July 2021 who will be (a) asymptomatic, (b) unable to work through sickness, (c) hospitalised and (d) admitted to intensive care.

Jo Churchill: We have not made this specific estimate.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the test and release strategy at preventing the spread of covid-19.

Jo Churchill: No recent assessment has been made.

Baroness Harding of Winscombe

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the register of gifts and hospitality relating to Baroness Harding of Winscombe in her role as Executive Chair of Test and Trace.

Jo Churchill: Baroness Harding undertook an unpaid cross-Government role and was not appointed on civil service terms and conditions. As such, Baroness Harding was not required to maintain such a register. However, we can confirm that she did not receive any gifts or hospitality.

Mental Health: Young People

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the finding that young people, particularly young women, have experienced greater declines in their mental health than others during the covid-19 outbreak, as set out in the Institute for Fiscal Studies report, The mental health effects of the first two months of lockdown and social distancing during the covid-19 pandemic in the UK, published on 10 June 2020; and what steps he is taking to support young (a) men and (b) women so affected.

Ms Nadine Dorries: While we have no current plans to make a specific assessment, we are working with the National Health Service, Public Health England and other stakeholders to gather evidence and assess the potential longer-term mental health impacts of COVID-19 across all demographics.The COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan, details the actions taken across the Government to support people’s mental wellbeing and to prevent the onset of mental health difficulties, including for all young people. This includes our campaign through Every Mind Matters to raise awareness of the guidance and tools available to support children and young people’s mental wellbeing; £79million to significantly expand children’s mental health services; and £13 million to accelerate the improvements to mental health support for 18 to 25 year olds in the NHS Long Term Plan. This funding is for 2021/22 and in addition to funding through the NHS Long Term Plan.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Directors

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to treat departmental Non-Executive Directors in a manner equivalent to other members of public boards; and whether that role will be regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to incorporate existing guidance on the appointment of departmental Non-Executive Directors into the Governance code on public appointments.

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to require every Government Department to publish a quarterly register of interests that includes each member of their departmental board.

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to preclude Secretaries of State from appointing (a) sitting elected representatives with party affiliation and (b) current special advisers as departmental non-executive directors.

Chloe Smith: The Committee on Standards in Public Life published an interim report last month which recommended that the appointment process for Non-Executive Board Members of government departments should be regulated. We are grateful for the work being undertaken by Lord Evans and his Committee and will respond formally to the Committee’s final recommendations when they are published in the Autumn. Departments publish their register of interests for all members of the departmental board alongside their Annual Report and Accounts. As employees of departments, current Special Advisers are not eligible to be appointed as Non-Executive Board Members of departments, and none have been so appointed. The Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies sets out that where appointed as a Non-Executive Board Member, there is no bar on elected representatives taking a political party whip relating to their political role. They must exercise proper discretion on matters directly related to the work of the body and recognise that certain political activities may be incompatible with their role as a board member.

Committee on Standards in Public Life: Public Appointments

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many applicants were considered for the position of independent member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life; and what criteria were used in making the final decision on the most recent appointment to that position on that Committee.

Chloe Smith: 173 applications were received by the campaign which closed in April 2021 for two independent member vacancies on the Committee on Standards in Public Life.In line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments, an Advisory Assessment Panel, that included an independent member, carefully considered all applications against the criteria set out in the candidate pack, which is published on the Government’s Public Appointments website. The panel was chaired by Lord Evans, the Chair of the Committee.The Panel interviewed shortlisted candidates and made recommendations to the Prime Minister on which candidates they found appointable against those criteria. The two applicants who have been appointed by the Prime Minister to take up post on 1 August 2021 were both found appointable by the Panel.

Development and Use of Supply Chain Finance (And Associated Schemes) in Government Review

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons Mr Nigel Boardman originally rejected the representations of Lord Heywood’s widow in his review into government procurement activity.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 22 July 2021. As the written statement notes, where actions have been attributed to individuals, some of which could be read as critical, the individuals concerned or their personal representative, where applicable, were given the opportunity ahead of the report being finalised to make representations on those sections of the report that could be perceived as criticisms to correct factual inaccuracies. Lady Heywood has had access to papers that Lord Heywood would have been shown and, representing her late husband, has been treated on equivalent terms to others involved in the review. During the course of the Review, Lady Heywood made representations to Mr Boardman about the process. Mr Boardman listened to these representations and agreed to undertake additional engagement with Lady Heywood prior to finalising his report.

Cabinet Office: Written Questions

Jack Dromey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to answer Question 27109 on Chambers of Commerce: Essex, tabled on 5 June 2021 by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington.

Penny Mordaunt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 27109 on 02 August 2021.

Chambers of Commerce: Essex

Jack Dromey: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July to Question 13907 on Chambers of Commerce: Essex, who the contact involved with the Essex Chambers of Commerce was; and what offer was made.

Penny Mordaunt: I refer the hon. Member to the letter dated 13 May 2020 from the Department for Health and Social Care to the Rt Hon Member for Witham. I am placing a copy of this letter in the libraries of both Houses.

COP26

EU External Trade: Carbon Emissions

Rachael Maskell: To ask the President of COP26, if the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is on the agenda for COP26.

Alok Sharma: The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs) are not on the agenda for COP26. The agenda at COP26 will be determined by mandates as agreed by Parties at previous COPs and adopted by consensus.

Community Development: Climate Change

Fleur Anderson: To ask the President of COP26, what engagement the Government has had with community groups on tackling the climate emergency ahead of COP26.

Alok Sharma: As Presidency, we are committed to securing an outcome that respects and reflects the interests of all Parties, including those most impacted by climate change. We are working with civil society to amplify the voices of those on the front line of climate change to deliver a truly ‘all of society’ and inclusive COP. Civil society organisations, with their links to on-the-ground communities and practitioners, are agents of change and their knowledge and leadership is necessary to deliver effective local solutions. I have established a civil society and youth advisory council which includes community groups and Indigenous Peoples from around the world. I also meet with civil society and youth groups on my international visits.Ahead of COP26, we have launched the ‘Together for our Planet’ campaign to engage the public in the run-up to COP26 and to celebrate the work people across the UK are doing to combat climate change. The campaign aims to drive awareness and create opportunities for people across the UK to participate in the run-up to COP26.The Together for our Planet campaign is building momentum in the lead-up to COP26 by showcasing how people across the UK are going One Step Greener to tackle climate change. Our One Step Greener ‘Climate Leaders’ will show how much inspirational action on climate change is already taking place.We also encourage MPs across the UK to engage with their local communities in the run up to COP, in order to support this. We shared an MP engagement pack with the House to this effect.

Climate Change

Sarah Jones: To ask the President of COP26, what steps he is taking to further develop financial support to help prevent loss and damage as a result of climate change ahead of the COP26 summit.

Alok Sharma: The UK Presidency is clear about the importance of developed countries meeting and surpassing the commitment to jointly mobilise $100bn of climate finance per year through to 2025, from a range of public and private sources.At COP25, countries highlighted that existing sources of funds from a wide variety of sources, including disaster reduction and response funds, respond to loss and damage. They also urged donors and these other funds to scale up support relevant to averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage in the most vulnerable countries. At COP26 and in the run up, we will push for progress on these actions and renew calls for coherent action using climate, development and disaster preparedness and response finance.Through the COP26 Presidency, we are also calling for greater quantity, quality and access to finance and for responses to be joined up. The Taskforce on Access to Finance aims to align support behind the national climate action plans of developing countries to improve access to climate finance. The outcomes will be to agree a new approach to access, marshalling coherent, programmatic support for countries’ own, nationally-determined climate priorities, alongside specific, implementable recommendations to address the system of climate finance as a whole which includes enabling them to better prepare, build resilience and respond to disasters - averting, minimising and addressing loss and damage.

Climate Change: Treaties

Helen Hayes: To ask the President of COP26, what assessment has he made of the (a) potential merits and (b) likelihood of an international agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

Alok Sharma: The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international agreement which aims to hold average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C. It is the framework under which such efforts should be delivered. The science is clear that in order to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change we must keep 1.5C in reach and this is my priority for COP26.

Renewable Energy: Treaties

Helen Hayes: To ask the President of COP26, what assessment he has made of the (a) potential merits and (b) likelihood of an international agreement to ensure global co-operation to transition to renewable energy sources.

Alok Sharma: Accelerating the transition from coal to clean energy is a top priority for the UK’s COP 26 Presidency. There are many benefits that the energy transition can bring: cleaner air, cheaper power, increased investment, new jobs, better public health, and many more.The UK recognises that global collaboration is vital to achieving a cleaner future. We have already made significant progress. The Climate and Environment Ministers of the G7 have made historic commitments to end international coal finance in 2021 and to accelerate the transition towards overwhelmingly decarbonised power systems in the 2030s. The UK has also launched the Energy Transition Council, bringing together the political, financial and technical leaders of the global power sector in over 20 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America, to ensure that clean power is the most attractive offer globally. The UK is also collaborating internationally through the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a coalition of 135 members, advancing the transition from unabated coal power generation to clean energy.